Republic baseball wins two COC road games

Republic welcomed back one of its key players and picked up two conference road wins last week at Neosho and Carthage. Senior Adam Brown, who had been out because of an injury since the week before the season started, returned to the lineup with a bang.
Republic 4
Neosho 3
In his second at-bat of the season, Brown ripped a home run over the left-field fence to give Republic the lead in the top of the third inning at Neosho. His home run scored Gunner Ellison and gave Republic a 2-0 lead.
“I was thinking about my grandpa. He couldn’t be here, but he told me, ‘Hey, you’re gonna hit one out this year,’ and I was thinking of him as I was rounding third,” Brown said. “And also, I told my dad last week, ‘How awesome would it be if I hit a home run my first game back?’”
After the Tigers made it 3-0 in the fourth inning on an RBI single by Devon Hughes, Neosho evened the score with a three-run rally in the bottom of the fifth. But Republic scored the game-winner in the very next inning, when Hughes drove in Schroeder again, this time with the eventual game-winner.
Only one of Neosho’s runs was earned against Republic starter Cole Iles, who pitched a complete game to earn the win. He struck out four, didn’t walk a batter, and allowed six
hits.
Republic 8
Carl Junction 3
Thursday at Carl Junction, Republic scored two runs in the top of the first inning and never trailed. Brown picked up three more hits and a walk in five plate appearances to lead the Republic offense. Trace Harrington, Ace McWatters, Drew Schroeder and Devon Hughes added two hits apiece.
Gavyn Beckner pitched six innings, allowing three runs on four hits, to get the win. He struck out eight and walked five. Caide White pitched an inning of relief and struck out the side.